Joe Kennedy III campaigns in Lakeville

Congressional candidate Joseph Kennedy III met with local residents at the Somethin’s Brewin’ Book Cafe in Lakeville on Saturday. “We’re getting out across the district today. We’ve been able to get around a lot over the past couple of weeks,” Kennedy said. “.....

Congressional candidate Joseph Kennedy III met with local residents at the Somethin’s Brewin’ Book Cafe in Lakeville on Saturday.

“We’re getting out across the district today. We’ve been able to get around a lot over the past couple of weeks,” Kennedy said. “...(Somethin’s Brewin’) is a great spot. I’m looking forward to a cup of coffee, and it’s a great place to meet people.”

Around 20 people crowded into the cafe to meet Kennedy, and he said small gatherings like this have been his favorite part of his campaign.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to actually meet folks. You get to meet them, get to talk to them,” said Kennedy. “The goal is not press. It’s just a chance to talk to people.’

Kennedy formally announced his run for the 4th Congressional seat in February.

That seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, but the veteran Democratic legislator announced last year that he’s retiring from Congress at the end of the current term.

Other Democratic candidates running for the seat include Attleboro businessman Paul Heroux, Newton software engineer Herb Robinson and Boston University law professor Jules Levine of Brookline.

Former Marine Sean Bielat of Norfolk and former mental health commissioner Elizabeth Childs of Brookline have announced their intention to seek the Republican nomination.

Kennedy recently moved from Cambridge to Brookline, which is part of the state’s newly redrawn 4th Congressional District. The district includes several Boston suburbs and stretches to Fall River.

Since announcing his candidacy, Kennedy has spent a lot of his campaign trying to speak to voters and learn about the issues that concern them. He said the issues he feels voters in the area are most concerned about are jobs, education, health care and national security — including the war in Afghanistan.

“I think when you boil it all down and link all those issues together, it really comes down to an issue of fairness... The story that we keep hearing is about fairness and people feeling that the deck is stacked against them,” said Kennedy.

Because he has never held public office, some have criticized Kennedy’s inexperience, but Kennedy points to his time in the Peace Corps, in the United Nations fighting world poverty and as assistant district attorney in Middlesex County, among other ventures, to show his experience fighting for fairness.

“I’ve been doing what I believe is fighting for fairness my entire professional career,” said Kennedy, 31.

Kennedy, the son of former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy II and the grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy, also said he hopes people vote for him and not for his family name.

“I’m very proud of my family’s history of public service, but it’s my name on the ballot,” said Kennedy, adding that he hopes to earn people’s trust, respect and support at these community stops.

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Kennedy also made appearances in Norton, Raynham, Freetown and Newton on Saturday. Today, he will be stopping at the Simply Simons Restaurant in Swansea, Alice’s Last Stop Lunch in Dighton, the Rehoboth House of Pizza in Rehoboth and the Dunkin’ Donuts on Myricks Street in Berkley.